Navy veteran posthumously gets Purple Heart

Aug. 4, 2014 - 10:49AM
|

CRANSTON, R.I. — Rhode Islandís senior U.S. senator has posthumously awarded a Purple Heart to a World War II Navy veteran who had lived in Warwick.

Sen. Jack Reed held a special ceremony Friday to present the award and other medals to the daughter of Frank Joseph Oliver.

Oliver was 24 when he joined the U.S. Navy Reserves in 1943. He served on the U.S.S. Eversole. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944, the crew rescued downed pilots and removed the wounded from American carriers. The Eversole suffered two torpedo hits in a matter of minutes and was ordered abandoned. Everyone onboard was killed or wounded.

After his service, Oliver owned and operated Oliverís Service Station in Cranston for 42 years.